Process of obtaining nickel from silicious ores.



tion.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

EDGAR F. PRICE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, .13 SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, A COT "tATION OF NEW YORK, TRUSTEE.

No. ooaeee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, i909.

Application filed July 29, 1907. Serial No. 386,090.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR F. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Obtaining Nickel from Silicious Ores, of which the following is a specification.

According to this process a silicious ore of nickel and iron is smelted in an electricarc furnace, carbon being added to the charge inamount sufficient to not only effect reduction of the nickel and iron but also-to protect the carbon electrodes from oxida- The resultin ferro-nickel is then treated with an oxi izin agent preferably air injected into the mo ten alloy, and an acid flux, preferably silica, to substantially remove the iron. A molten deoxidizer such as silicon, ferro-silicon or aluminum may be added to the high-nickel products before casting it into ingots.

' to make the rocess continuous.

The electric smelting may be efiected in a pot-furnace having depending carbon electrodes of opposite polarity, a considerable body of the charge-mixture being maintained around the zone-of reduction to retain the heat and prevent atmospheric oxidation of the electrodes. The potential difference between the electrode terminals is preferably kept at the minimum value requisite for the maintenance of an arc, to prevent leakage of current through the charge. The slag and alloy may be ta ped out and fresh ore and n supplie at intervals A basic flux may. be a ded to slag off the silica, or more or less of the silica may be reduced to give a product low in carbon.

The removal of the iron may be efiected in the reduction furnace, I ovided 'with twyers at its lower end for t e introduction of streams of air, the alloy being thus electrically heated and maintained in a molten condition by electric heat in addition to that supplied during reduction, if necessary. Silica for slagging the oxidized iron. may be derived from the charge, or may be independently added. If the product of reduction contains silicon, the oxidation of this silicon supplies heat to maintain the metal in a molten condition and the resulting silica combines with the iron oxid. 7 If preferred, the ferro-nickel may be tapped out of the reduction furnace into a separate 55.-

converter, for removal of the iron.

I claim: I

1. The process of roducing ferro-nickel,- which consists in e ectrically smelting a charge containing a silicious ore ,ofnickel and iron and carbon, by establishing and maintaining an electric are within the charge, and surrounding the zone of reduction and protecting the electrodes from atmospheric oxidation by a considerable body of the charge.

2. The process of obtaining nickel, whicl consists in electrically reducing silicious ore of nickel and iron by means of carbon, thereby reducing ferro-nickel, treating the molten erro-nickel with air and an acid flux to effect the removal of iron, and treating the high-nickel productv with a metallic deoxidizing agent.

3. The process of obtaining nickel, which consists in reducing a 'silicious ore of nickel and iron by carbon by passing an electric current through the charge, surrounding the zone of reduction and protecting the electrode or electrodes by a considerable body of the charge,-"and treating the resulting ferro-nickel with an oxidizing agent and an acid flux to effect the removal of 1ron.

In testimon whereof, I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

EDGAR F. PRICE. 

